Identifying acetolactate synthase inhibitors for potential control of quackgrass (Elytrigia repens) and Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) in corn (Zea mays)

Control of two perennial weeds, quackgrass and Canada thistle, and the differential sensitivities of three imidazolinone-resistant (IMI) corn hybrids and their sensitive isolines to various acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides were evaluated in greenhouse studies. The postemergence sulfonylurea herbicides nicosulfuron and primisulfuron controlled quackgrass > 80%. The imidazolinone herbicides imazapyr and imazamox applied postemergence controlled quackgrass 70 and 74%, respectively. Canada thistle control was 89% with the sulfonylurea herbicide metsulfuron. Primisulfuron, chlorsulfuron, and tribenuron controlled Canada thistle > 70%. The imidazolinone-sensitive corn hybrids did not tolerate the imidazolinone herbicides imazethapyr, imazaquin, imazapyr, AC 263,222, and imazamox; the sulfonylurea herbicides chlorimuron, chlorsulfuron, metsulfuron, tribenuron, and triflusulfuron; and the pyrimidinylthiobenzoate herbicide pyrithiobac applied postemergence. The 'Ciba 4393 IMR' corn hybrid, homozygous for an unknown allele, was resistant to all of the various ALS-inhibiting herbicides that injured its sensitive isoline. The magnitude of resistance for this hybrid was greater than the other IR corn hybrids. The 'Pioneer 3751 IR' corn hybrid, homozygous for the XA-17 ALS allele, was also resistant to a number of ALS-inhibiting herbicides. The 'ICI 8692 IT' corn hybrid, heterozygous for the Mut2 allele, was only resistant to the imidazolinone herbicides.